A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14 eBook

yards were locked in the branches of the trees; and,
about 100 yards from our stern, was a fine stream of
freshwater. Thus situated, we began to clear
places in the woods, in order to set up the astronomer’s
observatory, the forge to repair our iron-work, tents
for the sail-makers and coopers to repair the sails
and casks in; to land our empty casks, to fill water,
and to cut down wood for fuel; all of which were absolutely
necessary occupations. We also began to brew beer
from the branches or leaves of a tree, which much
resembles the American black-spruce. From the
knowledge I had of this tree, and the similarity it
bore to the spruce, I judged that, with the addition
of inspissated juice of wort and molasses, it would
make a very wholesome beer, and supply the want of
vegetables, which this place did not afford; and the
event proved that I was not mistaken.

Now I have mentioned the inspissated juice of wort,
it will not be amiss, in this place, to inform the
reader, that I had made several trials of it since
I left the Cape of Good Hope, and found it to answer
in a cold climate, beyond all expectation. The
juice, diluted in warm water, in the proportion of
twelve parts water to one part juice, made a very good
and well-tasted small-beer. Some juice which
I had of Mr Pelham’s own preparing, would bear
sixteen parts water. By making use of warm-water,
(which I think ought always to be done,) and keeping
it in a warm place, if the weather be cold, no difficulty
will be found in fermenting it. A little grounds
of either small or strong-beer, will answer as well
as yeast.

The few sheep and goats we had left were not likely
to fare quite so well as ourselves; there being no
grass here, but what was coarse and harsh. It
was, however not so bad, but that we expected they
would devour it with great greediness, and were the
more surprised to find that they would not taste it;
nor did they seem over-fond of the leaves of more tender
plants. Upon examination, we found their teeth
loose; and that many of them had every other symptom
of an inveterate sea-scurvy. Out of four ewes
and two rams which I brought from the Cape, with an
intent to put ashore in this country, I had only been
able to preserve one of each; and even these were
in so bad a state, that it was doubtful if they could
recover, notwithstanding all the care possible had
been taken of them.

Some of the officers, on the 28th, went up the bay
in a small boat on a shooting party; but, discovering
inhabitants, they returned before noon, to acquaint
me therewith; for hitherto we had not seen the least
vestige of any. They had but just got aboard,
when a canoe appeared off a point about a mile from
us, and soon after, returned behind the point out of
sight, probably owing to a shower of rain which then
fell; for it was no sooner over, than the canoe again
appeared, and came within musket-shot of the ship.
There were in it seven or eight people. They remained